Comments on: A Journal of the Plague Year – III https://habitablezone.com/2020/05/26/a-journal-of-the-plague-year-iii/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 04:45:30 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: podrock https://habitablezone.com/2020/05/26/a-journal-of-the-plague-year-iii/#comment-44664 podrock Fri, 29 May 2020 14:04:21 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=81991#comment-44664 Day 74. People keep getting close to me and not wearing masks. First I am asking them to stay back. Then ordering them. Then using a broom to establish personal space. Finally woke screaming "stay the hell away from me, asshole!" Yeah, I think I'll have that dream again even once this is over. Day 74.

People keep getting close to me and not wearing masks. First I am asking them to stay back. Then ordering them. Then using a broom to establish personal space. Finally woke screaming “stay the hell away from me, asshole!”

Yeah, I think I’ll have that dream again even once this is over.

]]> By: Robert https://habitablezone.com/2020/05/26/a-journal-of-the-plague-year-iii/#comment-44657 Robert Thu, 28 May 2020 16:37:17 +0000 https://www.habitablezone.com/?p=81991#comment-44657 One of the wearing aspects of all this is seeing your fellow citizens as a threat. The other day, for some reason, it seemed like only one in ten of the people I encountered outdoors were masked, and it made me distinctly uncomfortable. Felt like the solidarity we'd been experiencing had suddenly evaporated, and I felt naked and exposed. I'd give the unmasked a wide berth, and all the censorious side-eye I could muster. I kept looking for red hats and campaign merch. Yet, the next day, the trend reversed and most people were masked. And I felt much better being outdoors. Lately, I've been taking my stepmom on virtual video walks, and I find myself being even more careful to avoid hazardous people, even though, of course, she's at zero risk over video chat. The threat of other people is sometimes palpable enough that my protective instincts kick in irrationally. We're all in for PVSD for the rest of our lives after this. We're marked by this experience. One of the wearing aspects of all this is seeing your fellow citizens as a threat. The other day, for some reason, it seemed like only one in ten of the people I encountered outdoors were masked, and it made me distinctly uncomfortable. Felt like the solidarity we’d been experiencing had suddenly evaporated, and I felt naked and exposed. I’d give the unmasked a wide berth, and all the censorious side-eye I could muster. I kept looking for red hats and campaign merch.

Yet, the next day, the trend reversed and most people were masked. And I felt much better being outdoors.

Lately, I’ve been taking my stepmom on virtual video walks, and I find myself being even more careful to avoid hazardous people, even though, of course, she’s at zero risk over video chat. The threat of other people is sometimes palpable enough that my protective instincts kick in irrationally.

We’re all in for PVSD for the rest of our lives after this. We’re marked by this experience.

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